Pet Reverence

[DeletedUser20951]

I made a false claim recently, that I don't use the camera on my phone. I do use it on a rare occasion, when I remember it exists, to take low quality, often blurry (because my hands have a constant tremble), uncentered, idiotically angled, improperly lit, and likely flawed in a dozen other ways, pictures, which I will now presume to inflict upon you.

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Meet Ruin (short for RUIN AND DAMNATION), circa October of last year, when she was first adopted from the local animal shelter.

Cute, right? (the only correct answer is "yes") We were told (she lives with my father, but I take care of her exercise and grooming) that she was fully grown, and I wish I had thought to take a true side picture at the time to reflect the change in size from then to now, but she is easily twice as big in the present.

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Normally, when you choose a pet, you want to know specifics about their training, behavior, and whatnot, but she had been picked up as a stray, and all that the employees could say was that she was sweet, seemed to prefer to go outside to go to the bathroom, and a bit stubborn (I remarked to this immediately with, "I love stubborn dogs."). They had her breed listed completely wrong (English Setter?!), and I puzzled over this for quite some time until I realized exactly how much she was growing (my assumption as to what she could be was based on her supposed full growth). As has been the case with every dog I have adopted, I was sold the moment she quietly gazed up at me while the other dogs were barking like mad, that soulful hound look I'd never had a whole lot of experience with, having never owned one.

It was heartbreaking in the beginning. She paced through the house constantly, didn't know she was allowed to lay on a dog bed placed out for her (which took more than a week before she could be coaxed to lie on anything but the floor), she became anxious at any movement from humans, and when you reached out towards her, she would drop to her belly and curl up protectively. She would take treats gingerly and often drop them with how tentatively, carefully she bit, her tail tucked between her legs always.

I had expected, given her previous homeless status and the obvious abuse she suffered, that I would have my work cut out for me in training her. Completely wrong on that front. She was already housebroken, possessed no destructive tendencies, and did well on a leash except for being fearful of everything we encountered, especially people and cars driving by. Much of the early walks were more of my petting and talking to her until she calmed than actual walking.

Fast forward to close to seven months later:

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Dude, she is so happy now and very rarely afraid, loving to bound off into the brush and gallop over rolling fields (I call her a miniature horse), while striding up to greet people on the street (whether they want to be greeted or not, and I'm working on that still).

I had never heard of Bluetick Coonhounds before, nor had I ever had any sort of hunting dog, and the only 'downside' I've been able to see about them is that they require a great deal of exercise. For the first five months, it was dawning on me that I might have done fricked up, as from what I had read about the breed, you couldn't allow them to be off-leash and I kept accumulating leg injuries that didn't heal because I simply couldn't keep up the brisk pace (fast as I could walk, with pathetic bursts of long-term smoker jogging) for the miles that was necessary for her to get enough physical activity in the limited amount of time during the day I had for the endeavor. I was willing to die in the attempt, but was seriously starting to believe that I just might. She was attentive, though, during the walks, regularly glancing back at me and listening when I spoke, so I took her to a location where, even if she chose to run off, there was little chance she would get hurt. Unhooked the leash, and lo and behold, she behaved perfectly, staying within sight and coming when I call for her. I WAS ECSTATIC, both for her and myself, and letting her frolic out her extensive energy while I look on and meander after her is amazing (I've almost been enjoying the exercise. Almost).

We sometimes frequent the Link River:

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But she is an explorer and prefers to cover new ground. I know more about the geography of my own city from the last few months than I learned in my entire twenty-eight years of living here. XD

Alright, this post is massive, and I think I've run out of steam to gush about how proud I am of the doggy... For the moment.

If you guys have anything you would like to share about your pets in return, I would like to hear/see it.

Ruin and N/A out.

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(...don't actually post pictures... it's against the rules. Muhahahahahahaha! )

 

[shimmerfly]

I enjoyed reading this! Thanks
If I can add a picture I may. I can't seem to now even as a spoiler.
I rescued a Great Dane from my Vet after having to put one to sleep due to cancer. Yes, the gentle giant.
This one was 1 1/2 and already afraid of people.
She was so good she wouldn't even get on the furniture much to my dismay. ( they are great to snuggle with). but I managed to leash train her like lunging a horse. (You stand in one spot and let them run around you and very slowly pull them toward you...
anyway she is the my best buddy, my confident and the heartbeat at my feet.
Still afraid of people but not so much after 7 years and will let my friends pat her.
If we could only know what they went through being mistreated maybe we could heal all the wounds.
A special place to all those who save an animal and making a star burn just a little brighter.

 

[DeletedUser20951]

I rescued a Great Dane from my Vet after having to put one to sleep due to cancer. Yes, the gentle giant.

Great Danes are awesome! Well, okay, all dogs are awesomeness incarnate, but still.

I managed to leash train her like lunging a horse.

I grew up on a horse ranch and often employ many of the same tactics used for horses when training doggos, and I did try this with Ruin, but she wasn't having any of it, similar to how she won't perform tricks unless you have a treat for her in hand. XD (the animal shelter employees were right about her stubbornness)

A special place to all those who save an animal and making a star burn just a little brighter.

It's frequently on my mind, the sheer, sickening amount of animals being mistreated, neglected, and abandoned. How people are capable of viewing them as toys that simply exist for their own amusement and entertainment, is beyond me. I see no difference between pet abuse and child abuse.

I'm glad your best buddy is doing much better! Thanks for sharing.

 

[DeletedUser20951]

Ah, meant to mention something I find hilarious and utterly adorable. Ruin is more adept at mimicking human sounds and movement than any dog I've interacted with in the past, and has mastered a trick I've dubbed the "snapdragon". Once her fear of normal behavior abated, I began familiarizing her with assertive, nonviolent but slightly menacing appearing, actions to further bolster her confidence and encourage playing, which includes curling my hands into claws raised up to chest level while I stand in front of her. Apparently, she views this as an imitation of mouths and started to draw her lips back and move her head in their direction, towards one then the other, and I'd pull each back in response. Now she bounces at them without actually touching 'em unless I'm too slow. To associate baring teeth with the word, I would say "snapdragon" when she did during the hand chasing, and at first, she would simply do that at the command, but it has evolved, due to her enthusiasm and security, and without any prompting on my part, to where she sits down in a stance like she is going to lunge forward (think bunched muscles), wags her tail in an almost predatory manner, sways from side to side like a snake (that's fairly creepy, to be honest, but only serves to add to the charm), and then snarls and snaps her jaws closed, occasionally with a growl, the very picture of absolute fierceness. Given that she doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body, this delights me to no end.

 

[Laochra]

Sammywise Gamgee AKA Sammy.

He is our rescued furbaby. Due to hubby's allergies, we can only have a non-shedding dog. Sammy is a Miniature Schnauzer/Yorkie mix. He joined our family November 2014. He had been living with a foster family for a year & they felt that he was only a few months old when they took him in. They could no longer keep him & were seeking a permanent home for him. We were concerned that he might have been abused in the home that he was born into, because he was very timid & easily frightened by most things. That home may have had cats, because he sometimes acts like one.

He was barely 5 pounds when he came to live with us. Our son was 15 at the time & Sammy quickly chose him as his human. For the first year, he slept on my son's bed & to this day, is firecely protective of him. Sammy doesn't have a mean bone in his body, but he can act the part! We took him to meet & befriend our neighbors' Great Dane named Duke who towered over Sammy. Duke reached his nose down to greet him & even standing upright, Sammy's nose still could not reach Duke's! Sammy then growled until Duke backed away. Such a gentle giant!

Sammy loves his sweaters! He doesn't have fur or an undercoat, so he gets cold easily. He's not to crazy about having to go the the groomers for his regular haircuts, but he's happy once it's all done. He likes baths even less. But offer him a sweater & he will lunge forward pushing his head into it, eager for its warmth. He loves to play. He will wrestle with our son & has a fake growl when he's pretending to get vicious with him. You can tell he's faking, because his tail is wagging as fast as it can, then he pounces on our son & attacks him with kisses. LOL He does get upset when his Bubby teases him & blows raspberries at him. One time, he took a deep breath & held it like he was going to blow up a balloon & Sammy reached up & put his paw over his mouth, like he was saying "Not today, Bubby!" Made us laugh so hard & then he did it a second time. He has always been such a fun dog!

He loves sitting in the sun, whether it is in our fenced backyard or on the few steps of our staircase that are lit up by the sun for part of the day. This last picture was a few weeks ago, when I opened the door to let him come back in, after going out to potty. He just sat there looking at me, like he was too content to be bothered with getting up.

Sammy is protective of the house & will bark at anyone or anything that he finds suspicious. We think that he might have a little bit of separation anxiety. He definitely prefers to be with someone, rather than alone. He is a very good snuggler, loves to give hugs & will sit by our side for hours. He has a bed in every room in the house. Despite this, he has claimed as his, my two blue velvet/lambswool blankets that we have on our couch. After 5 years, he may be closer to 7 pounds now & does not seem to have much fear of anything, except for thunder. As is common with Schnauzers, he loves to run & will attempt escape, every chance he gets. Thankfully, he has always been found, or returns home after a very short adventure. Anytime one of us returns home from being out, he greets us at the door with a happy face, wagging tail & is jumping for joy. He's gotten very good at jumping quite high for such a little guy. WE all love him dearly & couldn't ask for a better dog for our family. ♥

 

[DeletedUser20951]

Sammywise Gamgee AKA Sammy.

Aw, he's so cute! For logistical and feeding reasons, I've always preferred smaller dogs and mixes (seem to be less prone to health issues), and Ruin is by far the largest I've had the pleasure of hefting up into the tub (probably clocks in at sixty something pounds now, and looks to still be growing and bulking up). Having had a Shiba Inu, who appear to shed out their own weight in fur (WHERE DOES IT ALL COME FROM?!), no shedding is definitely of the good.

The first time I heard Ruin bark, it was strange as Hells, because she has this deep, gruff, scary-sounding vocalizing, which makes her a great alert and intimidation dog, even if I don't believe she would ever attack someone. I'm a little curious as to what she would do if she manages to catch one of the giant groundhogs or jacket rabbits she likes to give chase to, although I hope she never does, for her sake and that of the creatures just going about their business, since she won't even harm bugs, merely bump them with her nose and watch them crawl away.

...I certainly like dogs much more than humans, and was thinking as I read, "Now this is interesting stuff.", while when I read about people, I think, "Eh." XD Appreciate hearing about Sammy!

 

[LilWolf De Lioncourt]

love those pictures they are really sorry having to type one handed I had arthroscopic surgery for the second time on my left shoulder yesterday...

 

[DeletedUser20951]

love those pictures they are really sorry having to type one handed I had arthroscopic surgery for the second time on my left shoulder yesterday...

Oh, that's rough about the surgery, and I hope your shoulder heals up well and quickly! If you want to see the worst typing in the world, that would be me trying to type one-handed; it's like my brain shuts down all knowledge of the keyboard layout and I revert to the motor skills of a four-year-old.

DOGGY PICTURES ARE LIFE. Think I got some more on my phone, but that would require plugging it into my computer and, eh, that's seemed like too much trouble lately. I really need to go back and edit those already posted into thumbnails, though. Not only do they blow up the screen, but the lag in loading is fairly bad. Yeah, I should do that. Sometime. Maybe later. Maybe.

 

[DeletedUser20951]

And, voila! Just like magic, I speak of my procrastination and I feel the urge to immediately banish it. Didn't have that many, and once again, my photography ability is of unmistakable excellence.

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Blurriness of distinction, but, hey, at least you can sort of make out her eyes in that one.

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There she is pretending to know how to track stuff, which she doesn't... She really, really doesn't. We were up in the foothills the other day and there was a rabbit about five feet from us, and she was too distracted by a scent to notice it.

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I particularly like this pic, which is overlooking Lake Ewauna with a Stealth Ruin in the brush.

If I didn't disremember the existence of my phone camera, nor get bored within a minute of snapping pictures, they'd no doubt be of better quality. Ah well.

 

[LilWolf De Lioncourt]

those are

 

[DeletedUser20951]

The Continuation of Ruin and N/A's Half-arsed Travelogue
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Not a very difficult trail, Ridge View, but the view was pretty enough to remind me to take some pics, walking along whatever the hill behind Moore Park is called. Might even be considered a mountain, I don't know; unless they're real big, around here, they're referred to as "hills", and my estimation of the height of a climb hasn't improved much, if at all, despite the massive increase in hiking activity. "Oh hey, that doesn't look high up," says me to myself, foolishly, before embarking towards the top and realizing, as I start using rocks and shrubs for handholds while Ruin does her impersonation of a mountain goat, that losing my footing would really, really suck and place me in a big, tumbling hurt... I probably shouldn't laugh as I imagine just that happening during my precarious balancing acts, but I do anyway, albeit a tad weakly and puffing like a steam engine.

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Neither of us like the heat, and much of our walks anywhere involve seeking out shade, with Ruin darting to the next closest tree on our route and then waiting for my trudging to catch up before bounding off again. The fact that she matches my watch perfectly pleases me greatly.

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It's a good thing that her coloring sticks out like a sore thumb in high desert country, since she ranges out much further now and often I can only hear the clinking of her tags to track her location, but can spot her easily when she reemerges. Never fails to prompt amusement when she is looking for where I am, as she moves her head around in a comically dramatic fashion and then sprints to me once she finds me. She's amazingly sure-footed, but runs like a blundering mastodon and is not near as fast as I thought she would be, given her long legs and appearing as though made for speed, for which I am grateful.

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There she is staring at me judgmentally while I point my phone at her instead of petting her, as is normally my custom when we take a break. I really can't say I am becoming any fonder of taking pictures; it's distracting and diminishes whatever 'fun' I have on these outings.

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Here we are beginning to head back towards the park, with the clouds having closed in more and the wind picking up to drop the temperature down some, making the rest of the trip less miserable (yay!).

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Not that that stops Ruin from procrastinating on our return. She takes any excuse for delaying once we are going in the direction where we came from, as seen by her intense contemplation of this tree, where she stood for several minutes. Just standing there. She usually doesn't like just standing anywhere, except for when we are making our way home. I'll let her rest, as I can't tell for sure if she needs it or not, for a bit, before I walk off and she begrudgingly follows, surrendering the lead pathfinder role.

Journey's End​